Research Progress of Thickening Agents for Supercritical CO₂

Abstract:

Although supercritical CO₂ fracturing has incomparable advantages compared to hydraulic fracturing as a new recreating technology of shale gas reservoir, the application of this technology has been limited by the low viscosity and weak carrying capacity of proppant. It’s critical to enhance the viscosity of supercritical CO₂ by adding thickening agents. Thickening agents for supercritical CO₂ that have been studied by researchers mainly contained polymers, small molecular compounds and surfactants. Thickening agents that match with CO₂ are characterized by low cohesive energy density, low polarity, high free volume and Lewis base. It’s necessary to study the interaction between thickening agents and CO₂ by molecular simulation to design inexpensive, green thickening agents which could increase the viscosity of supercritical CO₂ remarkably under low concentration.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 936)
• Pages: 1541-1548
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.936.1541
• Online since: June 2014
• Authors: Wen Chao Sun, Bao Jiang Sun*, Zhi Fan
• Keywords: Polymer, Shale Gas, Small Molecular, Supercritical CO₂, Surfactant, Thickening Agents

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